Man exiled for debunking 'weeping Jesus'

EDIT: Thanks to ChaoticOrder for the correct link code!!
Man exiled for debunking 'weeping Jesus'
In Mumbai, India, a crucifix was "weeping" sewer water and the priests were offering this sewer water (caused by a leaking pipe) to Catholics to drink and lick....

A rationalist and atheist debunked the statue and brought attention to the authorities (the devout were drinking SEWER WATER because of this HOAX!)

He's in Finland now, and can go back to India "if he apologizes" - but he says he will not.

He wants to see the "blasphemy law" repealed.

They are accusing him of interfering with people's religion. I'll see if I can find a transcript; so far it's only the vid above -
but this is just wrong.


I'm editing again to link the youtube vid of the expose:


It is partly in Hindi, but it's not hard to see the people's attitudes and the EVIDENCE of the mechanics of the hoax.

Okay, I'm having trouble getting the link to work correctly. But, look at the page and at the videos available.
It's only a 3-minute video. Sorry for the lame-o linkup, though.

ramanan50.wordpress.com...

When water started trickling down a statue of Jesus Christ at a Catholic church in Mumbai earlier this year, locals were quick to declare a miracle. Some began collecting the holy water and the Church of Our Lady of Velankanni began to promote it as a site of pilgrimage.

So when Sanal Edamaruku arrived and established that this was not holy water so much as holey plumbing, the backlash was severe. The renowned rationalist was accused of blasphemy, charged with offences that carry a three-year prison sentence and eventually, after receiving death threats, had to seek exile in Finland.

Question of "fact" vs "faith."

The link above is a text version. Wow.

Thoughts?

reply to post by wildtimes

They are accusing him of interfering with people's religion.

lol... let me translate that: they are accusing him of interfering with people's delusions.

If I were him I would apologize. "I'm sorry for making you see the truth and stop drinking sewage water. I should have realized you people can't handle the truth."

Reply to post by wildtimes

Of course it's wrong.

This is exactly what happens when you legislate according to religion. You see some extremely alarming, common sense thrown out, absurd things.

In order to protect their faith, they'd rather consume sewer water. That's ridiculous. Perhaps the sewer lickers should thank this guy. No one is saying to abandon their religion. We are saying that the leap to miraculous happenings in opposition to rational thinking and caution will lead to a dumbed down society.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

reply to post by ChaoticOrder

Edamaruku, who has the support of rationalists and atheists such as Richard Dawkins , is well known in India for debunking religious myths, and was already unpopular among Indian Catholics for publicly criticising Mother Teresa‘s legacy in Kolkata.

When the state “miracle” was pronounced, he went to Mumbai and found that the dripping water was due to clogged drainage pipes behind the wall where it stood. His revelation provoked death threats from religious zealots and ultimately charges of blasphemy under the Indian penal code in the Mumbai high court.

Yes, those who try to shed light on the conspiracies of religion are the bad guys, right?

His revelation provoked DEATH THREATS?! I shouldn't be surprised...but...wow.

Here's a working link. You just need to put it inside a url tag:

Man exiled for debunking 'weeping Jesus'

One more link, from alternet:
www.alternet.org...

Man Faces Death Threats and Jail for Pointing Out That Weeping Jesus "Miracle" Is Just Faulty Plumbing

Yes, I know, alternet.org is a progressive, left-wing outlet. But really? Sewer water. They'd rather drink sewer water and think it will cure what ails them than know that it was sewer water.

Unreal what the "devout" will fall for. How is this not globally condemned? It's no more civilized than the girl getting shot in the face for going to school.

"Blasphemy laws are very strange because they can be both very silly and also very sinister. They are very silly because you are talking about crying statues and moving statues or Virgin Marys appearing in tree stumps in Co Limerick. But on the other hand these type of laws are used in Islamic countries to jail people or sentence them to death. Or in Sanal's case facing a jail sentence for his work exposing bogus miracles.

Nay sister, you don't understand. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

The church leaders will go to any extreme to keep the cult alive and well. I'm surprised they didn't make this guy disappear before he could get the news out they were drinking sewer water. It is disturbing instances like these that make me so thankful I am not in the cult anymore. But stories like this sadden me greatly.

I watched the link. The guy provides no evidence that sewer water is "percolating" up the cross and spilling out of the piercing marks, on the statue. None, zip, zilch.
The pressure would have to be very great and the stench would be enough to draw flies from 100 yards.
I can see why the rational Indian police want to arrest him.

reply to post by Violater1

So when Sanal Edamaruku arrived and established that this was not holy water so much as holey plumbing, the backlash was severe.

Did you read the other two links? Each is slightly different in content. Are you saying, Violater1, that you believe these phoney miracles?

The Church has been doing this for CENTURIES. In medieval times the monks would rig up statues with turnkeys below the floor, and say "only the righteous can lift this statue!". Well, sure enough, no one could lift it because it was toggle-anchored below the floor - UNTIL THE PERSON THEY WERE HOPING TO FOOL came up, and then the key was released BELOW THE FLOOR and the statue lifted easily.

This is history. It's still happening.
If you'd like to discuss why this man is wrong, though, I'm open to your thoughts.

reply to post by Klassified

It is disturbing instances like these that make me so thankful I am not in the cult anymore. But stories like this sadden me greatly.

It saddens me, makes me shake my head, and makes me angry all at the same time. What is the psychology/mentality of these people who are so adrift that they will fall for this stuff? And what of those who know it's a hoax promoting it?

I guess this happened in the spring; I wonder if the Vatican has commented on it. I'll check into it.

"India cannot criticise Pakistan for arresting young girls for blaspheming against Islam while it arrests and locks up its own citizens for breaking our country's blasphemy laws," he said. "It is an absurd law but also extremely dangerous because it gives fanatics, whether they are Hindus, Catholics or Muslims, a licence to be offended. It also allows people who are in dispute with you to make up false accusations of blasphemy."

(from the alternet article).

This is the point ^ above.
These outdated "blasphemy" laws are absurd -- and dangerous. ANY religious sect to have license to be "offended."

"The Catholic archbishop of Bombay, Oswald, Cardinal Gracias, has said that if I apologise for the 'offence' I have caused he will see to it that the charges are dropped. This shows that he has influence in the situation but he will not use it unless I apologise, which I will not do as I have done nothing wrong," he said.

So, the archbishop, who has influence, will not use it to have the charges dropped unless he "apologizes".

Would you, ATS, apologize for having exposed such nonsense which is also a public health issue? How far can the RCC go - India is not exactly a clean place to begin with...and maybe this "drainage pipe" isn't black water, but still, it's not HEALTHY, CLEAN, POTABLE water either. And certainly not "holy".

Hopefully with worldwide publicity he will get to go back and the law will be repealed.

Man.. he should have let them drink themselves to their Dea... i mean to meet Jesus.

He was smart enough to run to Finland lol, or he would have been dead.

Edit: The irrational think is.. he didn't even try to correct religion this time, he was trying to help those delusional people not get sick....i guess some rather indulge themselves in delusion rather than face the reality that is "this is not true and it might me me sick".

I'd be staying in Finland. Let them shower themselves in filth, it a common thing in India. Check out the Ganges, they love it...

Originally posted by ChaoticOrder
"I'm sorry for making you see the truth and stop drinking sewage water. I should have realized you people can't handle the truth."

edit on 7/12/2012 by ChaoticOrder because: (no reason given)

Mind if I use this one. Awesome rebuke though, lol.

reply to post by wildtimes


Nup, I wouldn't apologise.. I'd tell him Finland isn't overpopulated, isn't bathing in a polluted water system and showering in other peoples filth. I like it here. WTF are you going to do about it?

But wait if wee-wee is trickling down that idol then wouldn’t it pick up some Jesus juju and turn in wine or something?

80% of India is Hindu, and you want me to believe that this poor country is spending resources to jail a guy for noticing people are drinking sewer water from a false Catholic miracle?



bzzz...Doesnt add up. You would have to be racist against Indians to believe they are that stupid

We dont have all sides of the story, but I'll guess they caught the guy doing something wrong to prop himself up, he was caught, and now he is crying for the secularists in Europe to save him